Only a handful of nations are currently testing Maglev rail technology

Japan plans on having its first magnetic levitation (Maglev) rail system in service by 2025. The trains have a top commercial speed of 310 m.p.h., and use electric-powered magnets to float above tracks. More specifically, floating above the tracks helps greatly reduce the amount of friction between the train and track, helping make the trains go faster.

The Maglevs will replace Japan's Shinkansen "bullet" trains, which have reached their technological and transportation capacity limits. The first Japanese Maglev line will travel between Tokyo and Nagoya.

Even though a French train holds the world speed record on rails -- 357.2 m.p.h. -- the Maglev holds the current overall record -- a maximum speed of 361 m.p.h.

The only fully operational Maglev line is operating on almost 20 miles of rails in Shanghai. Japan and Germany are currently the nations that have taken great strides to improve Maglev technology. Unfortunately, a German test Maglev train crashed last September, killing 23 people.

As someone who has ridden the Japanese Shinkansen trains before, I am sad to see the famed bullet train forced into retirement -- but am extremely excited to some day ride the first generation of Maglev trains.

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Australia doesn't have advanced tech? In the US, we still drive on the Eisenhower Interstate system, that's Eisenhower as in World War II. Amtrak, the nationalized passrail system even considers its own service a joke - and has one of the worst safety records of any rail service in the world. Rail trips across the states are measured in days, not hours (granted, there are distance considerations).

There are a few forward thinkers (The Boston-NYC-Phila-Baltimore-DC megalopolis) that embrace the use of masstran for covering large distances, but in Western urban centers they are largely absent. When it is put forth (Like the TTC in Texas), it is done so by corrupt politicians looking to exploit the "green" social movement to make a few bucks (I'm looking at you, Rick Perry).